An introduction to the analysis of religious patterns in india

PHILTAR Home This short introduction will help the user of the data base to develop a conspectual view of the many religions which are otherwise treated individually. We know nowadays, more clearly than ever before, that there are very many different religions throughout the world.

Marriage Patterns in Rural India: Influence of Sociocultural Context Shireen J. Jejeebhoy and Shiva S. Halli There is considerable agreement that notable changes have occurred in India in the timing of marriage.

For example, the singulate mean age at marriage of females increased from However, regional variation is quite evident. For example, in the median age at first marriage was Less is known about regional differences and trends in marriage patterns, such as endogamy, postmarital residence patterns, spousal age and educational differences, dowry, and the extent to which women have a say in determining timing and partner, on the one hand, and the disbursal of their dowries on the other.

Also poorly understood is the extent to which changes in these patterns are conditioned by sociocultural factors such as region and religion and their association with female autonomy. A unique data set provides an opportunity to explore marriage patterns and differences among successive cross-sections of Hindu and Muslim women who were married in the roughly 25 years from to in two socioculturally heterogeneous settings, namely rural areas of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The intention of this chapter is to describe differences in marital age and patterns among successive marital age cohorts and explore the extent to which differences emerge by region and religion.

Many arguments have been postulated to explain increases in marital age. Some would attribute the increase as a response to a marriage squeeze rather than as an outcome of increased educational attainment, which they argue is not advanced enough to be incompatible with early marriage Bhat Page Share Cite Suggested Citation: Influence of Sociocultural Context--Shireen J.

The National Academies Press. They argue that India has begun to face an excess supply of women of marriageable ages because of changes such as declining infant and child mortality and the reduction in numbers of widowers available as maternal mortality declined, as well as because women tend to marry men who are older than them.

Patterns in Comparative Religion

This view would argue that this change resulted in both a longer search for a suitable husband and higher dowries Amin and Cain, ; Bhat and Halli, ; Caldwell, Reddy, and Caldwell, ; Rao, Others would argue that increases in marital age may be attributed to shifts in the education of boys and girls and the imposition of a legal minimum age at marriage Amin and Cain, It is well known that marriage patterns reflect a fundamental difference between women from north and south India, and Hindu and Muslim women see, e.

However, the extent to which these patterns are changing over time is less well studied. For example, there has been considerable public education on the problems associated with early marriage and laws against marriage to females under 19 and these, along with a growing recognition of the importance of educating females, would argue for an increase in marital age.

Legal sanctions exist, at least in theory, against the practice of dowry; yet the consumer culture and the greater education levels of young males are argued to have prompted families to demand larger dowries than before.

In the more patriarchal kinship structure prevailing in the north, and particularly among the Hindus, marriage is regarded as an alliance of two families and involves the incorporation of outsiders as wives into the family. The resulting village exogamy prevailing in the north ensures a break between the natal family and the family into which a woman is married: In contrast, north Indian Muslims are much more likely than Hindus to marry kin, and less likely to practice village exogamy.

In the south, both Hindu and Muslim women enjoy less alienating marriage ties. Here, marriage is more a means of consolidating existing kinship networks than a political alliance.

In Tamil Nadu, marriages often take place among affines. As in the north, the practice of dowry is common. Although in the north the pattern and flow of resources is strictly one way, even after marriage Das Gupta,in Tamil Nadu, women themselves appear to have more control over their dowries.

Uttar Pradesh in the north, in which the situation of women is especially poor, and Tamil Nadu in the south, where gender relations are somewhat more balanced, and women are relatively better off. About half the sample in each setting was composed of Hindu women, the other half Muslim women.

The survey was conducted in and included questionnaires for married women ages 15 to 39 and their husbands, if available. Given that household data from this survey suggest that roughly 75 percent of women were already married by age 18, here we explore marriage patterns among those ages 19 to 39 39 was the cut-off age for this survey.

Both states are poor, with about 37 percent in Uttar Pradesh and 40 percent in Tamil Nadu and 33 percent in India living below the poverty level, and both states are largely agricultural Uttar Pradesh, 72 percent; Tamil Nadu, 61 percent; India, 70 percent.

Yet there are huge differences in social development levels.Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. India is a secular state with no state religion. The Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions ; namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.

religion, its symbols, rites, beliefs and hopes have shaped the world in which we live. Two very different approaches have been adopted in recent work - 'religious geography' and 'geography of religion'.

India presents endless varieties of physical features and cultural patterns. It is the land of many languages it is only in India people professes all the major religions of the world.

In short, India is “the epitome of the world”. The introduction shows the western viewers the true lifestyle and society in India. It is quite different to what the westerns know about India leading to it being memorable and distinct.

This is. Patterns of Religion is an introduction to the religions of the world with an emphasis on seven of the most influential traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism.

The book also includes chapters on ancient patterns of spirituality and tribal religions in historical times; an epilogue on millennial religions; . Patterns of Religion is an introduction to the religions of the world with an emphasis on seven of the most influential traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism.

The book also includes chapters on ancient patterns of spirituality and tribal religions in historical times; an epilogue on millennial religions; and appendixes on Jainism, Sikhism, Shinto, and the Web sites of the .